Beach-to-bar, plus-size and postage stamp-inspired collections are just a few that will be lighting up the catwalk at the University of Lincoln’s annual Fashion Show, with this year’s set to be the most diverse yet.

Designers of the future will put their final collections on public display on Friday 23rd May, when the University’s School of Art and Design hosts the end-of-year exhibition at The Assembly Rooms in Lincoln.

The show will incorporate garments from 31 final-year undergraduate students, who have each created a portfolio of six original garments.

This year’s show, which will take place in front of an invited audience of special guests, friends, family and fashion industry representatives, is the first since the Fashion Design students moved into the University’s new Art, Architecture and Design facilities. The students have gained valuable access to industry-standard digital printing, laser cutting and engraving equipment.

Maria Manning, Programme Leader for Fashion Design, said: “The new design space that our students now inhabit has opened up their minds to fresh and exciting ideas, and as a result this year’s collections show an even greater degree of individuality. On a daily basis, the students are interacting with so many different designers, and we are delighted that this environment is inspiring really unique fashion ideas. It is impressive to see that they are now printing their own fabrics from their own illustrations, as well as using a huge variety of techniques including knitting and millinery.”

Student Laura-Amy Carr has created an environmentally-aware collection, which includes footwear as well as clothing, using intelligent techniques such as laser-cutting and engraving. Louise Watkins has created a beach-to-bar wardrobe to suit surf lovers, and Harriet McKendrick’s collection is inspired by her Grandfather’s postage stamp collection and his love letters to her Grandmother.

On the afternoon of the Fashion Show, local schools and colleges will learn about the designers, their collections and opportunities available in the fashion industry. Teachers and pupils will take a back-stage tour before viewing a “fashion show in the making” at the University’s live dress rehearsal. The evening performance, which incorporates professional models and music from a live DJ, will then take place at 8pm.

Victoria Bellandini, Deputy Programme Leader for Fashion Design, said: “The annual Fashion Show offers a wonderful opportunity for our students to showcase their work, with their final collections representing the culmination of three years’ creativity, and the beginning of their future careers. We will also be exhibiting at the prestigious Graduate Fashion Week again this year, which is very exciting as it allows designers to present their portfolios and network with the international fashion community. It is a great event to be a part of, as it enables our students to realise the importance of being fashion leaders, rather than followers.”

The students’ work will be seen by some of the most influential figures on the global fashion circuit during Graduate Fashion Week 2014, which will be held at the Truman Brewery in London from Saturday 31st May – Tuesday 3rd June.

Showcasing the work of graduates from top UK and international universities, Graduate Fashion Week represents the future of creative design talent. It attracts more than 20,000 guests each year, and features 22 catwalk shows and exhibitions. It has been responsible for launching the careers of some of the industry’s most successful designers.

Many University of Lincoln graduates go onto forge successful careers in the world of fashion, with recent alumni working with Burberry, Matthew Williams, Stella McCartney, Arcadia and the British Fashion Council.